お茶の間酒房 MONTA — Restaurant in Hakone

We really loved the restaurant atmosphere and service. The individual tables had curtains to pull down so you have a very private booth. You order food on a tablet with English and photos, so easy! When we went they told us it was so busy that it would take a while to get our food, but within 10 minutes it started coming. Very fast and efficient service. All the dishware is cat themed - so cute! The food itself was ok quality. We loved the gyoza and ordered 3 times. The fried chicken was tasty but the breading was a bit soggy and it was kind of fatty. I got the mentaike pasta and it was very interesting- cheesy and seaweed at the same time? I couldn’t figure out the sauce but I liked it. The sesame balls were too doughy for my taste. We also got shrimp tempura and pork katsudon that we enjoyed. Would definitely go back to try more things and enjoy the atmosphere! Also make sure to look in the FREE tab and borrow a game...

A fresh take on the Izakaya experience. This place stands out—definitely not your typical spot. It feels like the owners blended several concepts: the casual small-dish Izakaya style, standard table seating, and the cozy atmosphere of a traditional Japanese counter eatery. And you know what? It works.

Most of the food we tried was delicious, though a couple of dishes could use some tweaking. Also, take a moment to meet the cats around—it's part of the charm. Reservations are highly recommended.

Message to the owners: The fried eggplant dish has potential, but here's a small tip: try soaking the eggplants in salted water for about an hour first, then dry them completely. Before frying, coat them well in corn starch. This will keep them from soaking up too much oil and turning greasy. Just a bit of prep can make a...

One of the best places I've gone in my life. That being said, the food is good but nothing amazing. It is also relatively overpriced for some other food we've had in Japan. BUT! It is extremely friendly to foreigners, the set-up of the place is great. There is a room with hundreds of manga books. You can play some retro games at your table (no extra charge!), the menu selection is HUGE! And there are cat decorations everywhere you look. From an amazing wall at the entrance decorated with what seems to be hundreds of cat miniatures, to cat themed plates and coasters. This place is just amazing. We asked to make a booking for tomorrow. I'm not going to find such a perfect place so easily...